Can marker



15, 1%. J, ALBERTOLI CAN MARKER Filed July 26, 1957 Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATET on 4 Claims.

My invention relates to can markers; and the broad object of my invention is to provide a marker for cans which may be set to mark a can at any desired point along its periphery as the can travels through a chute.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a can marker embodying the improvements of my invention; and

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the marker, showing details of the marking wheel and can guiding devices; and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the marking wheel and its mounting.

In terms of broad inclusion, the can marker embodying my invention comprises a marking 25 wheel, means for guiding the can past the wheel, and means for adjusting the wheel relative to the can. The can is preferably guided so that its axis remains in substantial parallelism with the axis of the wheel, and the adjustment is effected by shifting the wheel axially of the can. The marking wheel is also preferably mounted in a chute along which cans to be marked may pass, and means are preferably provided for feeding the cans, one at a time, past the marking 5 Wheel.

In greater detail, and referring to the drawing, the can marker comprises a main chute 2 along which a plurality of cans 3 to be marked may pass. A housing 4 is mounted on the lower end of the chute and forms a continuation of the latter; the lower end of the housing or chute extension 4 having an opening 6 through which the cans may be discharged. A marking wheel 1 is provided in the chute for marking the cans, and is held by a hub 8 slidably mounted for rotation on a hollow shaft 9 journaled in the housing portion 4 of the chute. The wheel is rotated by a pulley mounted on a projecting end of the shaft 9.

50 Means are provided for adjusting the marking wheel relative to a can. For this purpose a rod |2 extends through the hollow shaft 9, and carries a pin I3 projecting out through the shaft 9 and hub 8 for engaging a socket M in the wheel I. In order to allow for shifting the wheel,

a slot I6 is provided in the shaft through which the pin |3 may project. The rod I2 is moved axially by a manually operable lever ll having a slot IS in its upper end for engaging the rod. A pivot mounting is provided for the intermediate portions of the lever by a short rod I9 slidably journaled in a bracket 2|, to which the lever I1 is connected by a pin 22.

The lower end of lever H is held in a selected position by a plate 23 having a series of lever engaging notches 24. In order to hold the lever in a selected notch, and also allow shifting of the lever from notch to notch, a spring 26 is compressed between a pin 2! on pivot rod I9 and the bracket 2|. By this arrangement the marking wheel I may readily be shifted along the shaft 9.

The marking wheel is circular in shape and has a type carrying strip 28 mounted on its periphery. This strip is inked by a suitable inking roll 29. Since it is desirable to quickly replace the marking wheel with another having different type, my wheel is provided with a peripheral recess or notch 3|, so that the wheel may readily be slipped on or off the shaft. In order to releasably hold the wheel on the shaft, a pair of spring pressed elements 32 are provided on the wheel for engaging behind the side of the shaft facing the notch 3|. As shown in Figure 3, the wheel notch 3| is arranged on the side opposite the pin engaging socket I4.

Means are provided for feeding the cans, one at a time, past the marking wheel. For this purpose a star wheel 33 isjournaled in the chute extension 4 adjacent the lower end of the main chute 2 for the purpose of retaining the cans in the chute above the marking wheel. The star wheel is controlled by an arm 34 pivoted on the lower end of the chute portion 4 so that the arm lies under the opening 6. A spring held bar 36 connects this arm with a plate 31 slidably mounted adjacent the star wheel and carrying a pair of lugs 38.

As shown in Figure 3, the lower lug 38 engages an arm of the star wheel to hold the column of cans above the marking wheel, but when the control arm 34 is depressed by a can dropping through the opening 6, the lower lug 38 moves down to release the star wheel. The wheel now rotates until the next arm moves around against the upper lug 38, and is held until the control arm 34 snaps back in place, whereupon the upper lug releases the wheel and the latter takes another eighth turn. This quarter revolution of the star wheel allows one of the cans to drop downwardly toward the marking wheel. In its final position the star wheel again lies in the normal position shown in Figure 3, ready to feed another can to the marking wheel.

Means are provided for guiding the cans past the marking wheel, and for pressing the cans against the latter. This is accomplished by an arcuately shaped bar 4| carried by rods 42 projecting through the sides of the chute housing and held by tension springs 43. The cans are also held in alignment with the marking wheel by a pair of disks 44 mounted on the shaft 9, one on each side of the Wheel 1.

In order to time the can movement with that of the marking wheel, a finger 46 is pivotally mounted in the housing in the path of movement of the cans. This finger rides on a cam 41 mounted on the shaft 9, and when the finger moves inwardly on the flat portion of the cam it releases the can so that the latter contacts the wheel at just the right time.

I claim:

1. A can marker comprising a marking wheel, means for guiding a can past the wheel with the can axis substantially parallel with the axis of 1e wheel, and means for shifting the Wheel axially of the can.

2. A can marker comprising a shaft, a marking wheel slidably mounted for rotation with the shaft, means for guiding a can past the wheel, means on the shaft for holding the can in alignment with the wheel, and means for shifting the wheel along the shaft, said aligning means being freely spaced from the wheel to allow shifting of. the latter.

3. A can marker comprising a shaft, a marking wheel slidably mounted for rotation with the shaft, means for guiding a can past the wheel, means for shifting the wheel along the shaft, and means for locking the wheel in a selected position on the shaft.

4. A can marker comprising a hollow shaft, a marking wheel having a notch therein to allow positioning thereof on the shaft, releasable means for holding the wheel on the shaft, a rod extending through the shaft, a pin on the rod and projecting through the slot and into the wheel, and means for moving the rod to shift the wheel along the shaft.

JOHN ALBERTOLI. 

